Solar systems that include one or more shade-tolerant wiring schemes

Abstract

The present invention provides shade tolerant wiring solutions for solar systems. Elements are grouped and wired in parallel within a group such that the total current of a group is substantially the same among multiple groups. Such a wiring scheme can be applied to solar targets (e.g., solar cells), solar , and solar modules.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]The present non-provisional patent Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from United States Provisional patent application having Ser. No. 61 / 128,009, filed on May 16, 2008, by Hines et al. and titled CONCENTRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANEL, from United States Provisional patent application having Ser. No. 61 / 131,178, filed on Jun. 6, 2008, by Hines et al. and titled CONCENTRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANEL, and from United States Provisional patent application having Ser. No. 61 / 209,526, filed on Mar. 6, 2009, by Baker et al. and titled SOLAR SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE ONE OR MORE SHADE-TOLERANT WIRING SCHEMES, wherein the respective entireties of said provisional patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]The present invention was made with Government support under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC36-07G017044 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Government has certai...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The solution enhances shadow tolerance, allowing for more efficient energy harvesting from solar panels, even when partially shaded, by balancing photocurrents and reducing power dissipation, resulting in increased energy production from a given space.

Problems solved by technology

However, when solar panels are not installed flat, they tend to cast shadows.

Traditionally, solar panels are not especially tolerant of shadows.

While such spacing helps each solar panel to produce a high amount of energy, it does not make efficient use of space, whether it be land as shown in the FIG. 1 and 2, or rooftop space in the case of a rooftop installation.

Conventional photovoltaic solar panels tend to lack shadow tolerance because of the properties of the individual solar cells and because of the way photovoltaic systems are typically wired together.

In fact, further exacerbating this problem, general practice is not to include a bypass diode 46 for every individual solar cells 30 and 47, but to include a single bypass diode around a group of solar cells, or even around an entire solar submodule or module, thus regrettably leading to an even greater loss of potential power by virtue of bypassing completely illuminated cells in addition to a partially shaded cell or cells.

Images